


Do You Promise?

by obiole



Category: Jack Barakat/Alex Gaskarth - Fandom, jalex - Fandom
Genre: M/M, about zombies, apocalyptic gay, old story, probably will rewrite entirely, reposting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-26 02:00:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10777095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obiole/pseuds/obiole





	1. prologue

It started in the school. Some kid who was usually ill had brought it in. Everyone just thought is was some type of natural, 'you'll-be-fine-in-a-week' fever or something. No big deal. A shrug of the shoulder and we were on our own ways once again.

But then another kid got it. It was maybe two weeks after the first kid came in with his. Three weeks after the first kid came in, there was four kids with this thing. after a month, nearly a quarter of the kids in the school became sick, and that's when the school district decided to just close school two weeks early for summer break.

I honestly had nothing to complain about, I got out of school early and wasn't sick, that just meant more time to practice guitar, being the fifteen year old I was. a week had passed of the early summer break and my mother came home with a little cough. by this time, half of the town was sick, and media began flipping shit, just like that Ebola phase. but this was worse than that. more people got sick, but no one knew how. they just came home with a couch or small head ache and it would get worse from there.

people who've had the illness the longest would grow these.. bumps. moss-like growths on larger places, mostly the arms and legs. their eyes would grow dark and red, finger nails would crack and turn a nasty green color. whole bodies would grow lethargic and lifeless. brains would basically shut down, but the actual body vessel would be.. 'possessed', for lack of better words.

government began to shut down all communications. apparently this illness was worldwide, and the government would do anything to cutoff anyone from everyone. 

they moved sick people into quarantine and testing, but as soon as they did that, the things became more aggressive and attacked the workers, bit them, ate them, escaped, and did the same to the citizens. My mother had gotten a hold of my father when we went to go back and pick her up from the hospital.. she was really sick, even gone insane like the rest of them and bit my father. thing is, she was fine and quiet the whole ride home. but when we got in out house, something triggered her and she went ballistic. I had to 'put them down'.. 

It's been five months since the breakout, since I've had to kill my parents, and I've gotten barely any sleep. I've been traveling around, got outside of the Baltimore suburb area. I gathered about five book bags of food and water bottles before I left, and now I'm just moving, doing whatever and trying to live a life worth living. 

everything was savage, barbaric, supernatural, surreal.. 

and I was left alone in this world to survive, but also try to live a life I might have if the world hadn't gone to shit. 

and that is where we start.


	2. 1

Alex pov.

I have to admit, as much as my 'normal' life sucked, I miss it a whole lot. If everything, the world, I mean, were to somehow go back to the way it was, I don't think I'd hate my old life as much as I did. Going to school and being bullied everyday, then going home and hearing yelling from the two people I loved most, and then only having one person to talk to about it sounds better than spending a lifetime fighting for yourself for no reason, knowing ultimately that there is no hope for a cure and that one day you're going to perish and turn into one of those worthless walking death wishes, all while being alone to suffer through it.

But, my life hadn't always been so bad, really. I had come from Essex over the sea to Baltimore, where there just happened to be another Essex, and moved close to the water. We moved after my brother had passed away, when I was eight, and that's when I met Rian Dawson, my best friend. Him and I talked everyday, at first it was usually about bands, but then we got to topics like life goals, and really deep stuff in general. He met this girl named Cassadee Pope and, dear god, I knew they were soul mates from the first time I saw them together.

They were the talk of the school; the punk-grunge dude with the country chick. And somehow, fate decided they would both become ill with this parasite together. Their love was so prevalent that it made them tether their hands together and turn together. It was romantic, but sad. I was there to see them turn, but they wished, as a pair, to be left 'alive' together, so I left them. For me it was unbearable to see my best friend for seven years be turned into a monster, but it was his wish. 

But right now, out of all things, I wouldn't mind having a working heater for myself. And if I did my tracking right, today should be September 13th, give or take a day, and it's pretty damn cold for itself. All I have is a light weight New Found Glory shirt, I believe, and a long sleeve Foo Fighters shirt, just looking for a sweatshirt, preferably a band sweatshirt, in the few houses I come by out here in the country side of Maryland. Pretty sure it's Cecil county, but I'm not sure. I've only been out here maybe two or three times with my father. My parent's preferred the city over the country, so we never really adventured out here. Although, when we did travel that far out, I couldn't take my eyes off of the open land. It was, and still is, gorgeous.

 

I remembered there was always this one hill where, near the edge, the road was made a long, fairly sharp turn, and the view from anywhere on that turn was breathtaking. When standing with your back to the hillside, you could turn you head right and left and the only thing you saw were the farms with the crop fields painted across seemingly endless acres of hills. I could look at it for hours and never get enough of it. I mostly enjoyed the animals. Some properties had herds of cows, some had a horse or two, goats, sheep, chickens. Whatever it was, I loved it.

 

And in that exact spot, on the hill at the turn, I stood, treating myself to the spectacular view. It took me maybe ten minutes to take a deep breath and tell myself 'hey, it's time to go'. So I fixed my heavy backpack on my shoulders, only having one bag of the five I originally had left, full of chip bags and water bottles, and continued my walk of pointlessness to wherever was safer than the rest.

As I walked, I struggled to pull a bag of chips out of my bag. But once I did, I ripped the bag of kettle-baked potato chips open, the choice being plain, salty and one of my favorites. I was lucky I somehow snagged them. I had, maybe, like, five chips left in the bag when I saw a death wish swaying from its left to its right, and soon enough it spotted me too, courtesy of the chip bag being noisy as hell. I groaned and stuffed the bag in the side pocket of the backpack, switching it out for a large kitchen knife I had looted a few weeks back. It was an empty butcher shop and I grabbed about ten decent knives from it.

It didn't take me long to take down the biter, it was weak and limping pretty badly, having its shin clearly broken. I felt bad for them, though, these dead things. They were once a real person, who talked instead of mumbled and grumbled, had a family, lived an actual life while doing actual things. And now they're just.. empty vessels being driven around by a microscopic terrorist. It wasn't fair, but at least I can say it wasn't me being controlled by a mini Hitler.

 

With a sigh, I turned away from the nibbler and was on my way down the long hill once again. 

So many thoughts were running around my callow, vulnerable mind of mine, daydreaming about things I wanted to do in life, what I wanted to achieve, and who was going to fill my life, what would be my success. I was sure it would be that hot chick, Charlotte, who was in my homeroom. Damn. All I can say for her. She always gave flirty glances at me, and we almost hooked up.

Well, actually, we did hook up once. You see, I had my father's fishing hook in the beginning of summer and when I encountered her, her once flirty eyes now void of all feelings except hunger, well kept brown flowing hair now greasy and torn, tan skin given a nasty green and purple tint, and the hook ended up getting lodged in her pretty little head. So, yeah, you could say we got hooked up.

But as I thought of her, us living a teenage love-life every other tumblr girl like her blogs about, us having a huge wedding those tumblr chicks then go and pins on pinterest, and having those five kids Charlotte went on about just about everyday at school, I couldn't help but feel it was all wrong, not meant to happen. Now, I don't believe in any sort of 'god' or religious figure, but I am pretty set on things in life playing out in a certain way for certain reasons, so I'm sure nothing was supposed to happen between Grace and I, anyway. 

A long sigh was allowed from my lungs as my legs began to ache once again. I mean, I had been walking since dawn, but I couldn't stop or I'd get those annoying muscle cramps that you get when you sit down after a long jog. I'll just have to find a house, clear it and the property of the living dead and sleep for maybe an hour or two before leaving again. In order to reach where I'm wanting to go, which is north PA, I'm going to have to keep moving almost constantly for a month and I might just get there before snow starts falling. To be honest, I'm terrified how the winter is going to be like. I'll be alone, with no heat, with parasites walking around looking for a meal, which could easily be me. But I hope it won't be.

"Reaahghehahrhhgrgarghh..."

I turned around quickly on my heels until I felt I couldn't move one foot, taking a quick breath and gripping my knife tighter. I let out the breath when i looked down and saw it was just a biter.

"You really suck, pitiful piece of shit. You make my life a living hell." I spat with a sigh as the biter struggled under a fallen tree, grabbing at my leg. I didn't panic while being in its grip, all I had to do was bring down the knife and bam, he was done. But I instead teased him for a few minutes. I laughed and got my fun out of it, finally skewering his head with the knife. I shook its hands off my legs and took back my knife, shaking my head at it.

I looked up at the sky, seeing the red-ish hues start spreading themselves across the blue. Sighing, I knew I had to find shelter soon, or make something of the sort. "Here we go again.." I took a deep breath and began jogging downhill, my muscles probably wishing they could spit curses at me. I headed towards a nearby rancher house, which may actually be three miles away or so. I might be able to make it by full sun down, if not stopped by any little shits.

And this was my everyday. Walking and running North, getting as far as I could while stopping at small towns or convenient stores I see, looting them, looting houses, maybe sleep for an hour or two and repeat. It was tedious and boring, especially since I don't have any music to help the time pass by. But that's fine. 

 

I just daydream and await my fateful partner.

~•~•~•~

I slowed my jogging pace as I neared the start of an uphill dirt path that lead to an old rancher, glad to have made it just as the sun's trail of colors began disappearing into the darkness of the night sky. The rancher was surrounded by lightly barbed wire fencing, and I wondered if there would be any domestic animals here. Chances were low, but a guy can dream, right?

I pushed open the wooden gate, closed and latched it behind me, and continued my way up the hill on the path to the beautiful house. Clicking on the flashlight I had, I made sure I could see the biters if there were any so they wouldn't sneak up on me and tear my pale flesh apart. 

Luckily, for me, there were no nippers around in the house or on the property, but that just gave me more reasons to sleep less and be on my guard about this place.

I sighed and dropped my bag on a dusty, dirty old couch and moved through the house a second time, knife still at my side in my grip. I began looking for food or anything I could get my hands on that will benefit me in any way possible. Bandages, pills, clothes, etc.

I opened a door just below the sink and as soon as I knew it, a raccoon came flying out at me. I raised my blade and, somehow, it speared itself and I had a free dinner, no struggle or hassle attached. I smiled contently at the meal I hoped to find myself eating soon and turned on my heels, leading myself to the fireplace I had seen earlier. I had a few matches in my bag, thankfully, and I was set.

So, the remainder of my night was skinning the raccoon, cooking it, and eating it. It was honestly one of the best meals I've had since everything started, and I treasured it, making myself believe it would be my last true meal. 

As the warm fire began to die down, I wrapped myself in the two blankets I had found around this house. I watched the embers glow as the flames crackled, my mind running more and more circles around itself, wrapping around a rope of horror and waiting to finally pull it tight and make me realize the life I'm living may not be worth it.

With that, I decided it was time to shut down my thinker and actually close my eyes, confident I wouldn't die of a fire, of all things, during the apocalypse. I guess it's better than death by squirrel, or choking on a berry, attacked by a chair. Who knows, shit happens.


	3. 2

Jack pov.

I couldn't tell you how many days drone on with me just laying on my old house floor, staring at the ceiling, listening to my fathers old records. I don't really have any motivation to move, beside the occasional 'hey you gotta feed yourself or you'll die' bit, which made me stand and walk to the other side of the room for a  some canned ravioli or something, or to replay the record, or crank the handle to get it to play. I know that one day the supplies will run out, probably after winter if I pace myself, and I'll either be forced to go out in the terrifying, infected world, or just starve to death. Either way, I knew I would die somehow, sometime, somewhere.

I sighed and rolled over on the mattress, now facing the shelves of food and water bottles. I had so much supplies, and other people, if there were other people, had none.

But wait... What if I am the last one.. The last living human.. What if the parasites could sense me and are all surrounding the house.. If that's the case, then I'm screwed and should probably just call it quits now. But I wouldn't know because I haven't been out of this room for almost three months straight .

I could leave the room, walk around the house I grew up in, but this was my room, and I didn't want to leave. I want to remember the days where I was young and knew I was going to be safe from any harm. I wanted to go back and feel that way again, so I packed my room with food and locked myself inside to ignore the world as it is.

BANG

the noise made me jump off the bed and quickly turn a more pale shade of white. my hands began shaking as I searched for the knife that was sat on my bed. I held it, trembling, pointed at the door.

BANG.. BANG..

I took a step back and was now against the wall, shaking and whimpering, hoping this was just my imagination playing tricks on me.

silence..

I held my breath as I inched towards the door and slowly opened it an inch. All of a sudden something pushed it wide opened and knocked me to my feet. This is it, I thought, all of this fighting for it to end like this..

but then there was.. whining? I was pinned to the ground with the thing on top of me whining and cowering on top of me. I opened my eyes and looked up to a black and white collie with a blue and a brown eye. She looked terrified but so relieved, and that meant something to me. Yeah, they may just be animals, but they feel, too, and they're getting scared and probably eaten, just like humans. I wonder if they can turn if they're bitten..

My thoughts were taken away from me when I felt a fairly dry tongue lick my face. I put my hands up and set them lightly on her sides, running them reassuringly. "Hey girl, its okay. You're alright. I promise."

She woofed quietly and I smiled, getting up and sitting her on my bed. i gave her some water and pat her head. "Wait here, alright?" she panted in response and looked at me as I peered put of the door. She had to have come in from somewhere, and that worried me. there might be biters around. I grabbed my knife, took a deep breath, and steadied my shaking hands. 

I took a step out and looked around. I didn't hear anything, so I assumed everything was alright for now. the upstairs was fine, but of course it was. downstairs is what I should be worried about. but that was fine, too. just a tiny hole was dug under the doggy door in the back of the house. I covered the hole up with a wood board and kept it there with a heavy chair we had in the kitchen. 

My parents liked big and heavy and expensive things, which is why I wasn't an "essential child" for them. I didn't beg for things, I was tall and super skinny, and apparently that's a bad kid. and when this disease came around, they paid more attention to me for some reason. Too bad they got sick and were taken to quarantine. I'm not sure what happened to them since then, they could be wandering the streets eating faces off of innocent people for all I know. But oh well, I'm here and I'm still doing what I was before in the real world, just more scared and jumpy.

And now I have a dog to take care of. I couldn't ever kill an animal that wasn't in any type of pain. the world may be over but an animal is still a living thing and I'd never hurt one. But what I would do is look for a horse, I've always wanted one for some reason, and for having more than enough property and only asking for this one thing, mom and dad denied. Maybe that's what kept me quiet for the rest of my years until now.

I don't even know what to name the dog. I've never been good with names, they were either terrible or only stuck for a few days because I would forget them so easily. But honestly I felt like this dog looked like an Annie. Yeah, how about that? I think I'll keep that. Annie. mainly because i can't think of anything else right now. 

I looked around my house and picked off anything useful I could find, took all the blankets and even the small dog bed we had for our previous pet dogs. before I started back up the stairs, I looked outside and checked to see if everything outside was burning with a huge monster destroying things with an army of zombies. to my dismay, there was nothing outside other than the fields that had been there long before. no biters, no gigantic monster, no fires. just field.

I sighed and turned to face the steps, taking only one step before hearing a bang on the door behind me. my heart nearly stopped before speeding up to 100 heart beats a second. I looked around and took what I could before turning and sprinting upstairs to my room. Annie woofed from shock and I slammed the door shut, locking it with the three locks I had. I pushed a small, heavy-Ish dresser in front of it and hoped whatever, or whoever, it was would leave. but by the sound of cracking and something falling, it didn't seem likely. 

I panicked even more but kept myself quiet, clinging to Annie as she stared at the door. I was already worried and panicky, but when I heard someone slowly walking up the steps, I held my breath, preparing for being killed for sure this time. the footsteps stopped just as they arrived outside of my door. "Hello?" so much for being the last human. i didn't answer to them, and everything was quiet for what seems like a year but was only two minutes. I was pretty sure the person was about to leave, until Annie decided to bark.

"Shit!" I whisper-screamed at the collie, trying to shut her mouth, but she jumped out of my reach and began barking and scratching at the dresser that blocked the door. 

BANG 

"Annie! Stop! Come here!" I whispered furiously. maybe if we survive this and the person leaves, which may not be likely, I'll have to get rid of this dog. she's getting me in a lot of trouble already, and I've only had her for twenty minutes. I finally got a grip on Annie and pulled her back, shutting her jaws gently. but that didn't stop whoever it was from banging on the door, and I wasn't about to let them break my only safety place.

I bit my lip, took a shaky breath, and, "WAIT!" I stood up and took a shaky breathe and made my way to the door, which was just a foot away from my bed. i moved the dresser and then placed my hand on one of the locks, and I began to wonder why I was doing this and if it was worth it, whatever 'it' was. slowly I unlocked the locks and finally got to the handle, taking a deep breath, and unlocked it. But I couldn't open it, I couldn't face them, whoever they it was, I was too much of a coward. I sat back on my mattress and wrapped myself and Annie with a blanket.

Then the door began to open..


	4. 3

Alex pov.

I woke up to a soft sunlight making its way through the window that was directly across the room from where I was curled up on the couch. I raised my arm up, which triggered my whole body to stretch and give me a cramp in my leg. "shit.." I cursed quietly, waiting until the cramp passed to sit up on the couch and rub my face. I got the sleep out of my eyes and yawned before recapturing my surroundings, remembering how I found this house, how I got in, the raccoon I ate. now I have to worry about a possible breakfast and where I'm headed next from this place. 

i saw a house across the street and down a long dirt driveway, maybe it has some loot? doesn't hurt to look, unless there's a biter and it does hurt you, then yeah. with one last yawn, I hurled myself up off the couch, finding my bag and slinging it over my shoulder. I did one last trip around the house looting it and drying it of any useful resources. all I found was a thin but durable rope, a nice silky thick blanket that must have been bought new, and some more no-show low cut socks. not too successful, but they'll come in handy one way or another.

Just as I walked to the front door, I looked at the house across the street and saw a black and white dog run across the field and to the back of the house. I assumed it got inside, for I didn't see it return to the field and run anywhere else. now I really wanted to go to the house and check on the dog. so I fixed my bag on my shoulders and jogged out of the house I was currently in, letting the door slam shut behind me. instinctively, I looked both ways before I trotted across the road.

the house I was looking at was white, now with dust and years of being worn out. the shingles and roof were a dark blue, nearly black, barely able to tell the difference. the siding was peeling and cracking already, collecting dirt and dust every day. The fields surrounding it were overgrown, but I am determined to make the trek to the house and get inside to that dog.

the front door to this house was tied shut from the outside and, from the looks of it, from the inside, too. I sighed and furrowed my brow, hoping the back door could be opened without much trouble. When I got to the back door, I pouted my lip at the jammed door. not locked, but jammed from the months of harsh weather, and probably something on the other side. I groaned, questioning if I should give up or not, and just as I turned around to leave, I heard a weak bark and a large thud. I waited a minute, pressing my ear lightly to the door to listen for anything else.

I heard a little shuffling and waited no longer, removing myself from the door only to slam into it. No budge. I did it again, this time dust bursting from the cracks of the door. one more shove and I stumbled inside the house, seeing a shadow up the stairs that were to the right, placed in the middle of the whole house. I slowly turned to the steps and made my way over, my hand finding the rail to the side. I waited a moment, hearing scratching and a light thud, before quietly hopping up the stairs. I got to a door to my left and looked at it, dust from it reflecting in the sun. "Hello?" I asked.

After two minutes of waiting outside of the door I turned to leave, only to be stopped by a dogs bark. I went up to the door and began banging on it, lightly at first but more anxiously the longer I did it. "WAIT!" I heard a scared little voice call from the other side of the door. I stopped hitting the door and waited, hearing unlocking sounds. the door opened a crack, and I assumed I was left to open it the rest of the way, so I carefully did. 

my heart broke at what I saw before me, and I almost fell to my knees.

a boy sat under a blanket, shaking and fearing for his life, a dog at his side and also shaking. my heart felt like it was ripped out of my chest and shot multiple times. I slipped off my bag and let it fall to the floor as my legs followed, hitting the hardwood. I was cautious to approach the shaking boy who wrapped himself in a blanket, whimpering as I got closer.

 

"Hey.. I won't hurt you.." My voice was soft in case any of the nippers were around us.

 

He looked up, his brown eyes looking into my own. "Do you promise?" his voice was shaky and soft, barely audible for me. I gave a weak, reassuring smile and nodded. "I do."

as soon as I said that, he jumped out and hugged me, clinging for his life. I leaned back until I was sitting on my bottom, the boy I'd never seen before sitting in my lap, shaking and holding back sobs. I held him and rubbed his back comfortingly. he must have been through some major hell.

after a few long minutes I lightly pulled him away just a bit so I could see his face better. his eyes were red and bottom lip was trembling lightly, hair in his eyes. I brushed the stray brown and blonde hairs away from his eyes and looked into his brown orbs.

"Hey, sh, shh, shhh. you're alright, you're gonna be fine. what's your name?" I asked sweetly and calmly, petting his hair and comforting him as best I could.

"J-Jack..Jack Barak-kat.. H-how did you know I w-was up h-here?" he sniffled and took a deep breathe, looking into my own eyes for a brief moment. I smiled and rubbed his arm gently. 

"I heard you. And, I'm Alex Gaskarth. Fifteen, Baltimore born and raised. How long have you been here?" I curiously engaged in conversation, hoping he would open up and talk.

"u-uh. I-I'm fifteen, t-too.. born in Baltimore, r-raised in Cecil. uhm, s-since the breakout.. what have you been doing? Baltimore's a l-long way from here." he was so cautious and submissive, it was cute and I wanted to just lay on the bed with him in my arms, protecting him, but I still knew pretty much nothing about him.

"I've been walking, traveling. I'm headed north, somewhere in Pennsylvania. But now..i don't think I'll be going anywhere too far, or at least not without you." at that, I earned a huge blush from him, making me smile. it may be the apocalypse, but I still got the flirt game going strong. I chuckled and watched his sheepish moves. 

I saw he was becoming a little uncomfortable, so I helped him out of my lap and back onto the mattress. I sat next to him, glancing around the room, my eyes catching the insanely huge food supply. my eyes widened and I looked at him. "Holy shit, you got so much food! must've taken a while to accumulate like this!"

he laughed nervously, rubbing his neck and playing with his own fingers. "y-y-you can have s-something, if you'd like.." he smiled up at me and I grinned down at him, looking at the supply before back to him. 

"Are you serious? That would be so amazing! Thank you so much, Jack!" I hugged him fairly tightly before standing and going over to the food. I know I must have looked so greedy and needy, but I was so famished I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to have an actual meal made with actual food.

I grabbed a can of Chef Boyardi spaghetti, stabbed the top with my knife and cut it open. Jack gave me a plastic fork and I wasted no time to pretty much inhale the food, Jack watching curiously.

"Have you not been eating?" his little voice asked, a small, cute lisp sort of thing showing. I almost aw'ed, but controlled my urges for the cute boy next to me, getting my thoughts together to answer his question. I shook my head, furrowing my brow. 

"Barely." I said, my mouth full of food. after I finished and wiped my mouth clean with the back of my hand, I set the can on the floor. "You mean you've been eating like this the whole time? For four months?"

he looked ashamed and averted his eyes to his hands, a blush covering his features. once again, my heart broke and I put my hand on his shoulder. "Hey, I didn't mean anything by it, Jack. Some, like you, have it better than others, like me. I've had to hunt most of the time, you've had this food. shows you can survive, gather. I'm impressed." I smiled at him and rubbed his shoulder a little. he looked over to me and smiled too.

I sighed contently, standing and stretching. I would really like to stay with this boy, he seemed really nice, looked like he could use some company and sort of a body guard, but he also looked like he would slow me down, and I needed to get to north Pennsylvania as fast as possible before winter hit.

Jack watched as I stood and moved around the tiny room, his eyes and whole expression falling and breaking. I could see his eyes welling up with tears, forcing me to squeeze my own eyes trying to bare the sight. he looked down at his hands again and just stared at them. "no.. no no no no no, don't cry, please! I don't wanna see you cry, it'll make me cry!" I begged, going over and kneeling in front of him and taking his hand in mine.

"wh-why would you c-cry..?" he asked, keeping a small sob contained as beat he could. I frowned and looked into his innocent, terrified brown iris's. 

"Because I don't like seeing other people cry, especially if that person is adorable and seemingly helpless. So dont cry. If you want to join me on my trip, you're more than welcome." I smiled after I spoke, brushing his hair back. I couldn't explain why I was being so caring and cautious, somewhat flirty with the boy called Jack, but I was, and I think it's helping him out.

he nodded, smiling and hugging onto me tightly. I hugged back, enjoying the presence and touch of another human, a cute one at that, and be so close and making contact as much as this. and as much as I was enjoying this, I was curious why he was being so clingy. "hey, c-can I ask you something, Jack?"

he looked up at me like I was hollering at him for doing something bad, terrified and shaky. I rubbed his back to assure him it was nothing serious. "How long have you been alone..?" were the words slowly leaving my lips. averting his gaze to the floor beside me, he sighed.

"since the beginning.. my parents were one of the very first people to show symptoms. I dont know how I made it, being around them for two weeks before they got emitted to the hospital, but I did and I'm as healthy as ever. youre the first person to ever come around here, let alone find me.." he trailed off before yawning, wiping away the welling tears in his eyes.

I patted his back, signaling he didn't have to say anything more. he seemed still shaky, and I could spare a day from walking. so, I gave a sigh and looked at him. "Hey, we can stay here tonight, but tomorrow we gotta get moving, alright? it's a long way up there, and if we want to make it before the heart of winter, we gotta haul ass." he nodded and sat back, allowing me to sit back, still in front of him. 

I looked to my right at the resting dog to Jack's left, lightly snoring. how are we gonna go about the dog? do we take her, or do we leave her? take our chances and make her a food source? no.. that last option would never be considered, so I'm throwing that away now..but how.. rope! thats right, I forgot the rope I had found! the dog already has a collar, maybe she's leash trained? 

"hey, Jack, what's your little pal's name?" I asked, leaning over and rubbing the dogs ear. she looked up at me with grateful eyes before setting her head back on the mattress.

"Uh, I decided on Annie. she just looks like it. I searched for a tag, but I didn't see one on her collar." he replied, earning a nod of my head.

"She's adorable, I just hope she's not sick, ya know." Jack nodded, his expression becoming more worry-some, thinking of all new things that could go wrong with having the dog. "Well, I think we should see if she's leash-trained. I have a rope in my bag, she has a collar and maybe she can walk with us when we leave." I smiled and so did Jack, and soon we were leaving the room.

"By the way, how have you been going to the bathroom?" I asked in light conversation. he just laughed in response and I joined along .


End file.
